Words of Encouragement
by alynwa
Summary: Originally written for the Quote Me Challenge on LJ. April has a talk with Mr. Waverly.


_You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. _Winston Churchill

"Mr. Waverly will see you now, Miss Dancer."

"Thank you, Miss Rogers," April replied as she walked past The Old Man's assistant's desk. She noted that even though Lisa Rogers was the height of professionalism, she thought she detected a hint of disdain just beneath the surface. _I could be wrong; I've been a little hypersensitive lately. _The pneumatic door slid open revealing Number One of UNCLE North America puffing on his pipe as he stood at the window watching the sky shift from dusky gray to black, or to as black as New York City gets at night. "Good evening, Sir. You wished to see me?"

He turned around as if surprised that someone was in the room with him. In his day, his ability to disguise his deadliness and efficiency as an agent with his "distracted college professor" persona proved to be, literally, the death of people who bought into it. "Yes, Miss Dancer. Please, sit down." Instead of going toward his own desk, he turned and leaned against the wall. "It has come to my attention that there is a bit of conflict between you and some of the secretarial staff," he declared as a matter of fact.

April straightened her spine and felt her face grow warm. "Sir, I'm, I'm sorry you've had to hear anything. I assure you that I'll strive to do better."

Mr. Waverly harrumphed, "My dear Miss Dancer, I did not call you in here to receive an apology nor to hear you promise to 'do better.' I want to know how negative comments from people within the organization you work for are making you feel."

"Oh." April hid her surprise; Mr. Waverly was not known to be a particularly warm and fuzzy man. "Well, truthfully, I was very hurt to hear the talk going around the locker room, even more so than when I first arrived and some of the Section IIs and IIIs were questioning my being an agent. I expected to get resistance from the men, but to get it from the _women, _it just really bothered me and then I got angry."

Number One arched his back away from the wall and moved to his seat at the conference table. "Yes, one of the secretaries you threatened complained to Miss Rogers who brought the concern to me." His look bore right through her as he continued, "I told her that Section IIs do not attack Innocents; even those who verbally abuse them. I advised her to instruct her staff to keep their opinions about female Section II agents to themselves. Did any of their barbs cause you to regret your decision to become a Section II?"

"I have _never_ regretted that decision, but honestly, Mr. Waverly, I did have some self – doubt after hearing the comment that 'no decent man would want me,' but Ma…er, Mr. Slate, Mr. Solo and especially, Mr. Kuryakin made me feel better about myself."

"Did they now? Why 'especially' Mr. Kuryakin?"

"He told me how badly some of the agents and support staff treated him when he first came to UNCLE New York because he was a Soviet and how alienated he was made to feel. He said having a good partner helped him a great deal. He swore to me that things will get better and I believe him. I have a great partner and a CEA who sees me as an equal. I guess it was naïve of me to think that all women would rally around me because I'm the first female Section II. Some women see me as the enemy because I'm smashing a stereotype and they want me to fail."

The intercom buzzed and when Mr. Waverly pushed the button, Miss Rogers announced, "Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin are here for their debriefing."

"Thank you, Miss Rogers; tell them to come in when Miss Dancer leaves." He released the button and reached for his matches. He relit his pipe and after a few puffs said, "My countryman, Sir Winston Churchill once said 'You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life.' You, Miss Dancer, have stood up for yourself. Remember that as you do your job. Ignore the ignorant. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sir, and thank you."

*This tale references my drabble "A Moment of Self – Doubt"


End file.
